Norman Yakeleya

I certainly look forward to the Minister’s effort and support to finish off the planning study for the Harriet Gladu Health Centre. I’ve also asked him, too, because he is a Cabinet Minister and that has a little more weight in terms of what type of infrastructure gets put into the overall capital infrastructure on behalf of his department. I’m asking that. I know we’re up against some other significant health care facilities; however, the need for the Harriet Gladu Health Centre could possibly rank as one that needs to be put into an earlier date for construction.

I would ask the Minister if...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services. What is the status of the Harriet Gladu Health Centre in Tulita?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I bring this motion to the floor and I thank the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre for seconding it. I would ask that this motion be supported by all Members in this House here to look at the Nutritious North Program that was introduced in 2010.

Mr. Speaker, the old Food Mail Program worked well and we had regular users in our communities and retailers using it with the help from Canada Post at that time. The department did a review and now they’ve opted into a new Nutritious North Program. Basically it was taking the subsidies out of the hands of the people in...

Fair enough, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for his openness, just as the Minister of Justice talked about the Community Safety Strategy where we’re taking a lead from communities in the Sahtu. So I look forward to the Minister possibly looking at this concept and getting a brief update as to his discussions with the other Ministers on this concept. Thank you.

It is said that it takes a community to raise a child. It also takes our government and the community government to raise a youth centre. So I want to ask the Minister if he’s had any type of discussions with the Minister of Health and Social Services or the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and even the community of Fort Good Hope, in looking at how can we put a comprehensive plan together to support a community youth centre in Fort Good Hope, where different programs and different funding from all the governments and Ministers to put an overall comprehensive plan together that...

The band council began constructing the camp this spring. The community hopes it can be a wellness and healing camp where people and youth can be comfortable, learn about the traditional Dene ways of life, reconnect to their roots and give them strength for the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. The motion speaks specifically to the Auditor General. The Auditor General of Canada has the authority to obtain and review all documents and information necessary for its preparation for this report, should it be accepted by them. More importantly, this report will provide proper recommendations that will be fair, accurate, and give Northerners the confidence that this audit will be just and that they know where the money is going.

This audit will show us where the subsidies are being followed. If you go to the Northern Store or the Co-op, you...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS the creation of the federal Nutrition North Canada Program was announced on May 21, 2010;

AND WHEREAS the Nutrition North Canada Program replaced the Food Mail Program;

AND WHEREAS the Nutrition North Canada Program is administered by the federal Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development;

AND WHEREAS all Members of the Legislative Assembly continue to have significant concerns regarding the success of the Nutrition North Canada Program in ensuring that nutritious food is affordable for all NWT residents;

AND WHEREAS these concerns have also been...

Mr. Speaker, the people in Fort Good Hope, led by the elders, want a traditional camp on the land. It’s their concept of a youth centre. It doesn’t always have to be a traditional infrastructure in the community, so they want a youth camp to bring the youth back to the land. I’ll ask the Minister of MACA to outline some programs and if he would work with the Minister of Health through the Community Wellness Plan, or with the Ministers of Justice, ITI and Education that would put together a comprehensive youth land centre camp that would support the community wishes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of MACA. I could also ask other questions to the other Ministers, but this one I want to focus on with the Minister of MACA and ask him what types of resources are available for a youth centre in Fort Good Hope. At the same time, I want to congratulate the communities of Ulukhaktok, Fort Resolution and Deline in regard to their youth centres. I want to ask similar types of questions to the Minister on a youth centre for Fort Good Hope.